Friday, April 2, 2010

Did I get your attention with the headline? I have been reading and hearing so much talk about Tim Tebow and the New England Patriots. Personally, I would love to see the Pats draft him. However, he wouldn't be my first choice to someday to take over the job as quarterback of the New England Patriots.

This quarterback is not in this years draft. Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford could be very good pro quarterbacks. In my opinion they will not be the quarterback that the "Next Brady" will be. Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford currently playing will also be very good quarterbacks. I am looking for a guy who can take over the mantle of a "living legend".

This quarterback is currently playing College Football close to where Tom Brady grew up in Northern California. His name is Andrew Luck and he plays for Stanford. Next year he will only be a sophomore. His first year playing at Stanford he was a redshirt freshman. He is 6ft. 4 inches tall and weighs 235 pounds. He resides in Houston Texas and his father Oliver Luck was a former NFL quarterback with the Houston Oilers.

Now what makes this redshirt freshman the "Next Brady"? In my opinion it is the intangibles you just can't measure. Tom Brady is extremely intelligent and has excellent pocket presence. What separates Tom Brady from the rest comes down to his decision making. Drew Bledsoe had all the natural ability to be a great quarterback. The difference between Bledsoe and Brady are the intangibles. To me the intangibles are the difference between good and great quarterbacks.

I was watching an ESPN College Football show and they were touting Andrew Luck. Stanford was about to play Oregon. The hosts of the show kept mentioning you need to check out this redshirt freshman form Stanford. I had no plans on watching this game. I took their advice and sat down and watched the game between Stanford and Oregon.

Two players jumped out at me right away and they both played for Stanford. Toby Gerhart is a great running back and I would love to see the Pats draft him. However, it was the quarterback Andrew Luck that caught my eye right away. For a freshman his pocket presence was fantastic. He knew just when to release the ball and it was a laser to his receiver. He did this time after time in this game against Oregon. Stanford won this game in a shootout 51 - 42. I am not a stat guy to be honest with you. I go by the eye test. In this game he was 12 - 20 for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns. The eye test told me he was better than the statistics in this game. This team you could tell was more about the running game than the passing game. With all that said, Andrew Luck was extremely poised in the pocket and made great decisions.

Now, that was just one game. What would happen next week against USC on the road? I decided I needed to see more so I watched this game. Would Luck get rattled in this game against USC? In the beginning to be honest he was a little shaky. As the game went on he settled down. Again, he made good decisions when under pressure. Stanford beat USC 55 - 21. His statistics won't overwhelm you. He was 12 - 22 throwing for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns. Again though the eye test told me he was better than the statistics. After this game I thought he might be the "real deal".

Now, the next week Stanford would play California. Andrew Luck came back to earth and had a very bad game against Cal. He was 10 -30 and threw an interception in a 34 - 28 loss for Stanford. Again, he is only a freshman and every quarterback has bad games. The question is how would he bounce back.

The next game was against Notre Dame. Andrew Luck was 14 - 20 and threw for 198 yards. His completion percentage was 70%. Luck did bounce back and help lead Stanford to a victory against Notre Dame 45 - 38. To me a quarterback that has a short memory, and can follow up a bad game with a good game is extremely valuable.

Andrew Luck's statistics are not going to overwhelm you. He played in an offense that was geared more for the running game last year. What impressed me is the intangibles you just can't teach. Luck is an intelligent quarterback with great instincts for football. He knows when to make the right decision. He throws the pass just at the right time. He also can take a hit. After watching a good sample of games from Luck I realized he was a special quarterback.

I am in no hurry to replace Tom Brady. I am as huge a fan of Brady as they come. I even named my son after him. At some point though life goes on and the Pats are going to need a new quarterback. Why not replace him someday with someone that has those similar qualities that Brady possesses?

Andrew Luck is going into his sophomore season at Stanford. This will be he third year at Stanford as he redshirted his first year. When he decides to go into the NFL draft I hope the New England Patriots do whatever they can to draft Andrew Luck.

If you want to see for yourself watch this youtube video of Andrew Luck

The Fulham Reserves beat Birmingham City 3 - 0 at Montsur Park last night. According to the article, Reserves 3 - 0 Birmigham on Fulhamfc.com, the Fulham reserves came out strong in the opening 15 minutes. Fulham actually scored 3 goals in the first 15 minutes. Birmingham City at that point probably knew it was going to be an uphill struggle.

Danny Hoesen scored the first goal for Fulham. According to Fulhamfc.com, it stated that Wayne Brown then scored the second goal with a shot from the right of the Birmingham box that went in the near post. Then, Christopher Buchtmann took a corner kick that was headed into the net by Matthew Briggs. Before the teams had time to breathe the score was 3 - 0. The score did not change at all after that point. The game ended with Fulham winning 3- 0

According to the article on Hammyend.com" Fulham Reserves see off Birmingham" even though Fulham won 3 - 0 the writer could argue that Birmingham were the better side. That could possibly be true, but I am glad to see the Fulham Reserves won the game.

Finally, I am very interested in the progress of Fulham's young players of the future. Hammyend.com has a brilliant breakdown and analysis of each Fulham player during the reserve match. In the article on Hammyend.com"What I gleaned from the Fulham reserves tonight" the writer gives you his feeling on each player's performance. I would highly recommend reading this article if you are interested in players like Christopher Buchtmann, Wayne Brown, and Danny Hoesen. I will be following the progress of these players.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The past week was a disappointing week for Fulham Football Club. Last Thursday, Fulham lost 3 - 1 against Juventus in the Europa League. Now, Fulham will have to win in convincing fashion this Thursday in the second leg at Craven Cottage. They will probably have to score at least 2 goals and probably hold Juventus scoreless. Fulham also lost on Sunday to Manchester United 3 - 0. They will need to bounce back next Sunday when they take on Manchester City at Craven Cottage. Below are the 10 things I have been thinking about Fulham.

1. I think the 3-1 loss to Juventus could have been a closer scoring difference. There is no question that Juventus dominated in the first 30 minutes. Maybe the Fulham players came out too tentative. They found themselves down 2 -0. Fulham rallied and scored in the first half to make it 2 -1. They also had a great chance to tie the game up in the first half. It took a great save to deny Fulham that second goal. In stoppage time they gave up the third goal. I think the third goal could have been prevented. They need to play better defense at the end of the half. Fulham should not be giving up any goals in stoppage time. Goals late in the half change games. The momentum now was completely with Juventus. If they don't give up that third goal, Fulham's chances on Thursday would be much greater.

2. I think the Juventus fans really don't care about the Europa League. I was shocked to see the small crowd that was at Turin. I could also see that a decent amount of the crowd were Fulham fans. I know Juventus are probably one of the greatest teams in the world. Their fans expect them to be in the Champions League. I get all of that. What I don't get is you only have a limited amount of games to see your team. Why wouldn't you go to this game?3. I think it is great that Fulham fans sold out the game against Juventus. To me this shows just how important the Europa League means to Fulham and the fans. The Europa League to me is a reward for the hard work the team has put in the last couple of years. Both the team and the fans deserve this game. Hopefully with the crowd behind them Fulham can pull an upset.

4. I think Fulham were a different team against Manchester United with Danny Murphy in thelineup. Last week I wrote that I thought Fulham missed Murphy. I think this point was proven in the Manchester United game. I thought his passing was great and times I thought he controlled the first half of the match. I guess sometimes you don't appreciate a player until he is not there. I certainly appreciate Danny Murphy.

5. I think Roy Hogdson's changes in the starting lineup for the Manchester United gamewere effective. Stephen Kelly at right back I thought worked for the most part in the first half. Replacing Dickson Etuhu with Chris Baird in midfield seemed to work as well. I also liked having Clint Dempsey up front . Zotlan Gera being in midfield was another change Roy made. It is really good that Roy can move players around and the team can still keep its shape.

6. I think Clint Dempsey being back early is a huge boost. I was shocked to see him come in as a substitute during the Juventus match. I think it will take him a few more games to get back up to speed. I think he brings some added quality and goal scoring potential that the team needs now.

7. I think Fulham definitely have a chance against Juventus of advancing.Juventus have some injuries coming into the match at Craven Cottage. The goalkeeper AlexManninger will be out. They are also coming off of a 3 - 3 tie against Siena. Fulham have an opportunity to advance. It might be slim, but it is there for the taking. With the injuries and the below average form from Juventus in their last match, hopefully Fulham can capitalize and come out strong. An early goal by Fulham and the game is on.

8. I think Fulham have a very good chance at beating Manchester City.Fulham have played Manchester City very tough lately. If Manchester City play how they played in the first half against Sunderland they will lose. I just don't think this is a team that intimidates Fulham. They have more talent than Fulham, but do they have the better team? I think we will find out this weekend.

9. I think Fulham fans should check out the reserves tonight against Birmingham City. The game is tonight at Motspur Park at 7PM UK Time. I would love the opportunity to see Christopher Buchtmann and see if he is the "real deal". Sine I am in the United States I can only read about it. This is a chance to see up and coming players for the team.

10. I think Fulham have a chance to match their league point total from last year of 53. They currently have 38 points. They need 15 points in the last 9 games. I just looked at the schedule and there are several games which I think they can win. Home games against Wigan, Stoke, Wolves and West Ham are all games the team should win. They can also potentially win at Hull. I know it will be tough, but if they could match that total to me it would be an incredible achievement.

Again, these are just 10 things I think about Fulham Football Club as of this week March 15th. It should be another fun week.

Monday, March 15, 2010

With free agency in its second week who would the New England Patriots sign? Also, who would be leaving the New England Patriots.These are the five things I think about the New England Patriots this week March 15th.

1. I think Leigh Bodden was the second biggest signing of the off season. I was convinced that the New England Patriots were going to lose their #1 corner. He was in Houston with the Texans having meetings. A funny thing happened and he decided to sign with the Pats. He has stated in interviews that he was interested in coming back before free agency began. Now with him back in the fold, the Pats can concentrate on other needs.

2. I think losing Ben Watson in my opinion is no loss. Ben Watson to me was like "MikeMamula" was for the Eagles years ago. He was combine hero that had all the intangibles to be an impact player. The combine though to me cannot measure natural football ability. Ben Watson did not have "great hands". With a Tight End you need to have great hands. I think after awhile Tom Brady did not trust him. He had plenty of chances to thrive in this offense. In my opinion he is a huge disappointment.

3. I think Ladainian Tomlinson signing with the Jets believe it or not benefits the New England Patriots. He is not the player he used to be. The Jets would have been better off re-signing Thomas Jones. If they give LT carries that should go to Shonn Greene I think is a mistake. He is not an every day back anymore. He probably thinks he still is. He could become a major issue for that team. Good luck to the Jets.

4. I think signing Kevin Faulk was crucial for the The New England Patriots. As I stated last week having him back in the fold gives Brady stability on third downs. He is your "goto" guy in those crucial situations. I also think he will bring more leadership to the locker room. He will be like Troy Brown in my opinion finish his career with the Pats. He represents everything I love about the Pats. He is a hard worker and very dependable in game changing situations.

5. I think the New England Patriots are on their way to getting their locker room back. With the signing of 5 of their own players there has to be a signal in the locker room that the Pats actually pay their players. These signings should hopefully change the mood in the locker room. Vince Wilfork already has come out and has shown leadership with some comments this week. Since he got his contract maybe now he can flex his muscles and become that " Willie McGinest enforcer" in the locker room. Maybe the Pats of the Championship Days are not dead just yet? This is a step in the right direction.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

I knew to win at Manchester United would take a special effort by Fulham. I was hoping that maybe they could get a point and just be competitive. Fulham were very competitive in the first half. It was the second half that Manchester United dominated. Fulham did lose 3 - 0 at Old Trafford today. I am going to now analyze below my "5 Keys to Survival for Fulham against Manchester United" which I wrote about on Friday.

1. I am hoping that Danny Murphy will be able to play. Danny Murphy did play in this game and played well. His passing in the midfield I thought was a big key in the first half. In the second half Murphy started to get frustrated and actually got a yellow card. Dickson Etuhu did not play as Chris Baird played in his place in the midfield.

2. Will Nicky Shorey play or will Paul Konchesky start?Nicky Shorey did play and Paul Konchesky sat ont he bench. Stephen Kelly actually played on defense as well. I don't think Konchesky playing would have made a difference. I wanted Shorey to play.

3. Defending well on set pieces for Fulham is a must. There certainly were a good amount of set pieces. I think for the most part Fulham did a good job on corners and free kicks. With the likes of Berbatov and Rooney to handle on these kicks, Fulham did hold their own.

4. If it is possible Fulham need to contain Wayne Rooney. This was the key to the match where Fulham failed. They could not contain Wayne Rooney. He was involved in all 3 goals and he scored 2 himself. At times I thought the defense did a good job on him. The problem is he is such a great player, and it doesn't take much for him to get an opening. In the second half he took over and to me was the difference in the match.

5. Mark Schwarzer needs to play at his "highest level" in this matchup.Mark Schwarzer I thought played well. He made several key saves especially in the first half. I don't think you can blame him on any of the 3 goals. Wayne Rooney and his teammates just were too much for him to handle in the second half.

In conclusion Fulham were actually successful on most of "my keys for survival". They were very competitive in the first half. The #4 key is what made the difference in the match. They were not able to contain Rooney and they looked tired in the second half. It is just one game. I think they also showed they can play with the best teams in Europe. I guess it is another thing to win against those teams.

Going into the match I was hoping for Fulham to be competitive against Manchester United at Old Trafford. After just playing Juventus on Thursday it wouldn't be crazy to think Fulham could be tired. Well, Fulham were more than competitive in the first half. They definitely held their own. It was the second half where Manchester United dominated. They beat a tired Fulham club 3 - 0 at Old Trafford. Manchester United scored 3 second half goals to take over the match.

The first half began with Fulham starting strong with some possession. Clint Dempsey started off in the second minute with a shot. It didn't take Manchester United long to get into the game. In the 10th minute Wayne Rooney got loose in the box and was right in on Schwarzer. The save was made by the goalkeeper.

In the 14th minute , Clint Dempsey had a shot that just went over the net from just outside the box. The play at this point was going back and forth but, Manchester United were starting to get more control of the game. In the 25th minute Berbatov's header from Nani just went over the net. In the 30th minute a shot by Rooney was denied by a great save by Mark Schwarzer.Nani was a constant pest for Stephen Kelly. He was involved in many plays. In the 34th minute Rooney put another header on net from a pass from Nani. There we a couple times that Manchester Players were looking for a penalty shot inside the box over possible fouls. I guess the referees did not see it that way.

The last best chance for Fulham came from Bobby Zamora In the 38th minute his flick of a shot just went over the net. He was fed a fantastic pass by Danny Murphy. Manchester United had one more chance . In the 44th minute a shot by Rooney that just went wide of the net. The half ended 0 - 0. Fulham deserved to be even Manchester United at the half.

The second half began very badly for Fulham. In the opening 30 seconds Wayne Rooney scored his first goal of the day from a nice pass from Nani 12 yards out. At this point the tempo of the game changed. Manchester United just took control and I could tell Fulham were getting tired. You didn't see that same spark you saw in the first half from the Cottagers.

Manchester United were starting to have more shots. In the 66th minute a Ferdinand shot just goes over the net off of a corner kick. In the 74th minute, a Rooney header just goes wide. Fulham were still hanging in there.

The best chance of the match came in the 75th minute for Fulham. Bobby Zamora had one on one with the goalkeeper, but at the last minute his shot was blocked by Vidic who flew back into the play. I was thinking at that point it is just not going to be Fulham's day. I couldn't have been more right.

In the last 10 minutes Manchester United scored 2 more goals. Berbatov made a great run and pass to Wayne Rooney. There was not much that Schwarzer could do as Wayne Rooney scored his second goal. This was followed up shortly after that by a Berbatov header that went into the net past Mark Schwarzer. This was set up by a great cross from Park. The game ended with Manchester United winning 3 - 0.

Fulham came to play but just ran out of steam in the second half. I got to watch why Manchester United in my opinion our the best team in the world. This team just keeps coming. The difference in the match is they created and scored on the opportunities they had in the second half.

The score doesn't indicate that Fulham were competitive in this match. Fulham have come along way. They are just not at the same level of Manchester United. Not many teams are at that level. I certainly think Fulham are still a top half of the table club in the league. I think by the end of the season they will still be at that position.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Fulham play on Sunday against Manchester United. The game will take place at 1:30PM UK time and 9:30 EST at Old Trafford. I usually mention prior to a match my "5 keys tovictory" that I will be looking for in the game. In this game I am just hoping to get a point. After beating Manchester United earlier in the year at Craven Cottage 3 - 0, I have a feeling the score is going to be different. Alex Ferguson and his team are probably looking for some payback.

This time around Manchester United will not have the depleted defense they had in the first matchup. This time Vidic, Ferdinand, and the goalkeeper Van Der Sar will be playing. Bobby Zamora and Zoltan Gera will not have as easy time as they did in the first matchup. Wayne Rooney is playing at an extremely high level. Manchester United are also coming off of a huge win in the Champions League. All the signs lead me to hope for the best and expect the worst. Below are my 5 keys to Survival for Fulham against Manchester United.

1. I am hoping that Danny Murphy will be able to play. Every time Danny Murphy is out you can see the difference in the play of Fulham in the midfield. Jonathan Greening has done fair in his place. He just doesn't have the passing ability of Murphy. The midfield play of Fulham will be crucial in this match. I hope Dickson Etuhu can pick up his game .

2. Will Nicky Shorey play or will Paul Konchesky start? I happen to like the play of both players. Since Konchesky just played yesterday maybe you will see Shorey start. I think this is a key to the match as to me he is solid on defense. The back four will be tested probably from the minute the game begins until it ends.

3. Defending well on set pieces for Fulham is a must. As we saw last night a "free header" off of a corner kick resulted in the first goal. The third goal also came from extended play off of a corner kick. In many road games this year Fulham have not defended well enough on set pieces. Wayne Rooney can easily score off of a free kick or a corner.

4. If it is possible Fulham need to contain Wayne Rooney. The way he is playing right now I don't know if any team can contain him. The defenders as usual just need to be aware of him at all times. For some reason at Craven Cottage, Fulham were able to control him well. They will need to do the same if Fulham are to have any kind of chance.

5. Mark Schwarzer needs to play at his "highest level" in this matchup.Mark Schwarzer to me deserves all the credit in the world for the goalkeeping he has provided in the 2 seasons at Fulham. There have been several games that he was the difference in the match. This game is no exception. Schwarzer needs to be the difference in the match for Fulham to get any result.

Sunday will be very tough for the Cottagers. This year they have played well at times against the "big four". To get any kind of result, Fulham will have to play at an extremely high level.

As I was watching the Europa League match last night I was pleasantly surprised by the return of Clint Dempsey. He came into the match in the 60th minute replacing Simon Davies. He had a limited impact on the play in the second half.

The bigger picture with the return of Clint Dempsey is Fulham gets back one of their "keyplayers" for the end of the season. I was hoping he would be back by the end of the month. Dempsey has been out of action for around 2 months now.

Paul Konchesky also returned for Fulham in the Europa League. He had been recovering from an injury. In the last Europa League match Stephen Kelly played in his place. His return should also give Roy Hogdson a few decisions to make with his defense.

As Fulham head to Old Trafford on Sunday the team is beginning to get healthy again. John Pantsil should still be out, but could be returning before the end of the season. The only other injury concern could be Danny Murphy. He did not pass a fitness test before the FA Cup match against Tottenham. Let's hope he is able to go against Manchester United.

There is no question the return of Clint Dempsey can only help Fulham in the 3 competitions they are still in until the end of the season. Let's hope Dempsey is in the starting lineup against Manchester United.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

I stated going into the match that I hoped for an away goal in this Europa League matchup at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin. I guess I was hoping the score was a little closer. Fulham lost to Juventus3 - 1. The funny thing the score doesn't indicate the effort and play Fulham gave in the second half. Overall, Juventus were the better team in this match. Fulham still have a chance next week at Craven Cottage. It is going to be hard, but this team has surprised me many times this season. I wouldn't count Fulham out just yet.

The first 30 minutes were dominated by Juventus. In this time they scored 2 goals. First, In the 8th minute a Diego corner kick was headed in by Nicola Legrottaglie that got by Mark Schwarzer. In the 25th minute, off of a great run came a tremendous right footed shot by Jonathan Zebina, that just got in the corner of the net. After the first 30 minutes Fulham were down 2- 0.

Shortly afterwards Fulham started to show some life and started to control the ball more. In the 36th minute, a direct free kick was taken by Simon Davies. The ball fell to Dickson Etuhu who richocheted a shot off of a Juventus defender that went past Manninger. The game was now 2 - 1 and Fulham had an important away goal.

Fulham almost tied the match in the 40th minute. Simon Davies had a corner kick that was headed by Brede Hangeland in the box and saved by Manninger again. This was Fulham's best chance to tie the match.

It looked like the match would end at the half 2-1 with Juventus ahead. The game went into stoppage time and Juventus were pushing forward. After a corner kick, a shot by David Trezeguet hit the the post but bounced right back to him. His second shot got by Mark Schwarzer and Juventus were ahead 3 - 1 to the end the first half.

The second half I thought Fulham controlled a good amount of the play and pushed forward. Unfortunately, many times in the second half Bobby Zamora was offsides. There was though a good cross by Zamora that went to Zoltan Gera. He headed the ball out of bounds.

I have to say the best news of the second half was the return of Clint Dempsey in the 60th minute. He came in and replaced Simon Davies. The last best chance of the night came from Juventus. in the 89th minute a shot by Diego was tipped over the net by Mark Schwarzer. The game ended 3 - 1 with Juventus winning the match.

Even though Fulham were outplayed tonight I thought they gave great effort. I think they showed especially in the second half that the club deserved to be in this matchup. It will be tough in the second leg. Regardless of the outcome it has been an great time watching Fulham play in the Europa League. I never would have imagined this happening 2 years ago.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Fulham lost on penalty kicks to Aston Villa last night at Craven Cottage in the FA Youth Cup Quarterfinals. At the end of regular time the game was tied 1 - 1. The game was then tied 2 - 2 after extra time leading to the penalty kicks.

Before the penalty kicks, the 2 Fulham goals were scored by Marcello Trotta. The Italian born striker scored in 39th minute and the 115th minute. Fulham were only able to score once on penalties out of four chances. Unfortunately it was not enough for Fulham's youth team as Aston Villa won on penalties and move on to the semifinals.

Fulham will be back in action tomorrow in Turin Italy against Juventus. The kickoff is 3:05 EST from the Stadio Olimpico. The second leg will take place next Thursday at Craven Cottage. Roy Hogdson and Fulham will have their hand's full with this top Italian team.

Fulham will be without Danny Murphy who will be suspended for the match. Jonathan Greening should be in his place in the midfield. It will be interesting to see who Hogdson will go with in his starting lineup. Nicky Shorey and Stefano Okaka are both cup tied and can't participate in the match. John Pantsil and Clint Dempsey are still hurt and hopefully we will be seeing there returns later in the season.

There is a good article entitled "Europa League: Preview Juventus - Fulham" on goal.com. Everyone should check this out to get ready for the match. This game will be a tough task for Fulham. I personally will be happy if they get an away goal. These are exciting times for the Cottagers. After this match tomorrow, Roy Hogdson's team heads to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Sunday.

Contrary to the media view I am happy with what the New England Patriots have been doing so far in Free Agency. According to ESPNBOSTON.COM, the New England Patriots are about to re-signLeigh Bodden. This is wonderful news to me that they are bringing back last year's # 1 corner.

Since Free Agency began the New England Patriots have concentrated on re-signing there own guys. My contention is that the Pats needed to re-sign their players just to get back to even. If Bodden is back in the fold you would be bringing back 4 crucial players. The Patriots need to build back their core with there own veterans. Vince Wilfork, Stephen Neal, Tully Banta Cain, and now Leigh Bodden all coming back can only help the team moving forward.

I think the biggest problem the Pats had last year was their "locker room". I think a great deal of the issues of morale revolve around money. The Randy Moss comments regarding the New England Patriots and money show their is possibly a perception that the Patriots do not play their players.

With 4 of their own players getting good contracts this Free Agency hopefully this will change the morale in the locker room. The players need to know that management will pay them if they play well. Also, other free agents in the future can now see that the Patriots will pay for players.

If the media or Pats fans are disappointed they did not go after "high priced free agents" I think they took care of more important business first. The New England Patriots are taking care of there own. Before you can get better you need to get back to where you were when the season ended. The New England Patriots are on the way to getting back to even.

Monday, March 8, 2010

The past week was very interesting for Fulham Football Club. On Saturday, Fulham played a 0-0 draw against Tottenham in the FA Cup. Now, Fulham will go to Tottenham for the replay in a few weeks. March continues to be action packed as we now have an additional match. Here are my thoughts on the week gone by and moving forward.

1. I think the 0 - 0 draw was a lost opportunity for Fulham. It was a pretty even match against Tottenham in the FA Cup . I guess the result was probably justified. I thought Fulham had a few good opportunities to score, but there weren't enough of them. It will be tough to beat them in the replay at White Hart Lane.

2. I think Fulham played to "win" the entire game on Saturday. I already mentioned this prior but I have read criticism that "Fulham played 10 behind the ball against Tottenham".Danny Murphy not playing I think dictated how the game played out. There is no question that Tottenham were in the Fulham half a great deal. However, in the second half Fulham definitely pushed forward some and created opportunities. Finally, why would Fulham want to play for a tie and have another game in a replay on the road?

3. I think I will be following the reserves and academy teams of Fulham much closer in thefuture. I wrote about Christopher Buchtmann last week. I have always liked following progress of young players as they move up. I enjoyed reading information about Matthew Briggs who captained England's under 19 team last week. There are also strikers like Marcello Trotta and Danny Hoesen for me to follow their progress. Hoesen and Buchtmann actually scored goals in the last reserve match which Fulham won 2 - 0 over Stoke.

4. I think Fulham really missed Danny Murphy in the last match. As I have mentioned prior I think if Danny Murphy played Saturday maybe Fulham could have gotten a better result. Not seeing him in there really made me appreciate even more. He might be getting older but he is still a great passer and player. He will be missed again on Thursday.

5. I think Roy Hogdson will have interesting lineup decisions this week if Paul Konchesky isready to return. It shouldn't affect the Juventus match but, might have some impact on the Manchester United match. Since Nicky Shorey can't play Thursday will he play against Manchester United? It will be interesting to see how Hogdson handles his lineup this week.

6. I think Zoltan Gera has done a great job right behind Bobby Zamora. He has been very solid the last few weeks. I hope Hogdson keeps this combination intact. They seem to work very well together.

7. I think the Tottenham fans were great this week. I want to thank them for coming to my blog this week. This is a very loyal fan base and I appreciate any feedback they have given me. It is always good to know what the other teams fans think. I came away this week with much respect for team and its fans. I wish them luck the rest of the season and also in the replay.

8. I think Eric Nevland is leaving Fulham this summer. According to Dan at Hammyend.com , he has confirmation that Eric Nevland will return to his old club VikingStavanger this summer on a free transfer. Good luck to him going back to his former club.

9. I think I will be very happy if Fulham get any kind of result at Juventus this Thursday. I think it might be asking too much for a victory in Turin. Maybe getting an away goal would be good enough? Fulham will also be shorthanded without Danny Murphy. It will be fun though to see Fulham play Juventus.

10. I think Fulham should be happy with any points at Manchester United. After playing Juventus on Thursday, Fulham go to Old Trafford on Sunday. I think Fulham showed everyone that they can play with Manchester United when they played them at Craven Cottage. This is a different story on the road though. If they can pull out a point I will be very happy.

Again, these are just 10 things I think about FulhamFootball Club as of this week March 8th. It should be a fun week.

With free agency beginning on Friday their has been a tremendous amount of interest by the media. Who would the New England Patriots target in Free Agency? Would the Pats be able to improve their roster through free agency. These are the five things I think about the New England Patriots this week March 8th.

1. Vince Wilfork re-signing with the New England Patriots was a pivotal move for the Pats torebuild there locker room. I am so happy that Wilfork finally signed. This move will hopefully have a positive effect in the locker room. Younger players can now see that the Patriots "do pay" their players for there performance.

2. Adalius Thomas should not be cut from the New England Patriots. I wrote about this last week. I think Thomas has been a huge disappointment. I did think he should be let go right before the season begins. I have thought about this a little more though. Is there any way the relationship between Thomas and Belichick be reconciled? If it can, and they work out their differences than he should not be cut. I do think he did not give it 100% last year. Belichick and Ty Law worked out their differences years ago. Law that next year played well in his last year with the team. If he is going to be difficult in the locker room again then he should be traded or cut.

3.The New England Patriots should not be blamed for not signing Julius Peppers. This player got a huge contract that was similar to Albert Haynsworth. Even if the Patriots were in the running I think it will be proven out that he is the next "Adalius Thomas". The Patriots needed to take care of there own players first. Peppers does not love football. I just don't think he would have been a great fit for the Pats.

4. The New England Patriots need to sign Kevin Faulk. I have been a critic of Faulk's in the beginning of his career. He did have fumble issues in his first couple of seasons. However, he has turned out to be a very valuable and reliable player. On third down he might be one of the best players of all time in making the big play on that down. The Pats need to bring him back.

5. The New England Patriots need to sign their own players first. The media over the weekend has been very critical of the Pats. The feeling I have been getting is that many members of the media think they should have gotten a "high priced" free agent and made a big splash. I think they did sign a high priced free agent. His name is Vince Wilfork. They also signed Stephen Neal and Tully Banta Cain. In my opinion before they can get better they need to get back to even. It is very important to re-sign Leigh Bodden and Kevin Faulk. Once they take care of their own then they should concentrate on improving the team with free agents.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Fulham played a 0-0 draw against Tottenham yesterday at Craven Cottage. I thought both teams played well. It is my opinion that this match was a lost opportunity for Fulham. Now it is time to analyze "My 5 keys to Victory for Fulham against Tottenham" which I wrote about on Friday.1. It is imperative that Fulham score the first goal. Going into the match I thought if Fulham scored first they could set the pace for the rest of the match. Since there was no scoring at all, I think at times both teams set the pace and had advantages.

2. Nicky Shorey just needs to continue to play solid defence. Ido think Shorey played well along with the others on defence. Even though Tottenham had very good pressure during the match they couldn't breakthrough. The defense kept them in the game, and led to a few opportunities for Fulham.

3. Roman Pavlyuchenko and the rest of the strikers need to be contained.Pavlyuchenko I thought was contained pretty well. There always seemed to be a Fulhamplayer right on him. At times there were several around Roman. There is no question he is very dangerous. I think he showed glimpses of his talent, but he didn't have the room to really maneuver. I actually thought Peter Crouch played well and almost put a header past Schwarzer. The Fulham defense did their job.

4. Fulham need to shoot often at HeurehloGomes. I think this "key" really hurt Fulham. The Cottagers had a few chances but not enough to get that "breakthrough goal". This is a credit to Gomes who I thought was very good in this game. He had a very nice save on a strike by Damien Duff in the second half. Also in the second half he made a nice save on a header from ZoltanGera. Gomeswas solid and obviously did not have any confidence issues. There just weren't enough scoring chances for Fulham to rattle the Tottenham goalkeeper. Again, you have to give credit to Tottenham. At times during the match they were in control, and in the Fulham half.

5. Fulham need to stop LukaModric. Going into the match I thought this was the number 1 key to the game. Modric was dangerous during the match along with Wilson Palacios and Gareth Bale on the left side in midfield. Like I said prior, they put a considerable amount of pressure on Fulhambut just could not breakthrough. I think Danny Murphy not playing really hurt Fulham. He really is a good passer and we could have used his ability in the midfield. Etuhumade a couple of horrible passes. Jonathan Greening I thought was steady, but did not push the ball up like Danny Murphy can. For the most part though Fulham did stop LukaModric.

In review, Fulham played well and did perform positively on many of my "keys to victory". However, they did not win the match and only tied. They played well on defence and had a few scoring chances. They just did not have enough shots on net.

In closing Tottenham is a highly talented and skilled club. To beat them in the replay it is going to take a better performance with more scoring chances. I have also read some criticism on Fulham "playing 10 behind the ball." I do appreciate other views of the match. I happen to disagree with this opinion. I don't think Fulham were playing for a draw. I believe they were going for the win. They did create some decent chances in the second half. Danny Murphy not playing I think changed how Fulham played in this match. Both teams had injuries that probably affected how the match went. In the replay let's hope many of the injured players are back for both teams. I look forward to the replay.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

If Fulham had won today against Tottenham they would have advanced to Wembley and the semifinals of the FA Cup. Today's game was home for Fulham at Craven Cottage. Unfortunately for Fulham the game ended in a 0 - 0 draw. This was a disappointing result for Fulham. They will now have to play the replay later this month back to White Hart Lane . The last time the teams played at White Hart Lane, Tottenham won the game 2 - 0.

The first half was pretty back and forth with not too many chances by either team. For the most part Tottenham controlled the play better especially in the midfield.In the 4th minute there was a shot by Modric that sailed over the net. For several minutes in the first part of the half Tottenham were controlling the play.

The best chance for Fulham came in the 19th minute. Bobby Zamora's shot was saved by the goalkeeper. It was a good chance just inside the box, but was handled by Gomes.

The other good chances for the half were by Tottenham. In the 28 th minute there was a decent shot by Kranjcar. In the 30th minute, a header by Peter Crouch is saved by Schwarzer. The announcers mentioned that Tottenham were looking dangerous but not doing enough.

For Fulham in the first half it was obvious that they did miss Danny Murphy. Jonathan Greening was on his place. To win this game they needed to do better in the midfield. At the half the score is 0 -0.

The second half opened similar to how it started. Fulham came out aggressive in the opening minutes. Fulham had the first real good chance of the second half. In the 46th minute a SimonDavies cross went to Bobby Zamora who headed the ball to Zoltan Gera. His header was saved by Gomes.

As like the first half, Tottenham shortly after the brief advantage by Fulham started to grab control again. In the 55th minute a shot by Kranjcar goes off of Nicky Shorey, but was in a dangerous area near the net. Shortly after that in the 58th minute a shot by Michael Dawson slices away from the net.

Tottenham had more of the play, but Fulham were definitely getting some chances. DamienDuff started to get some shots. In the 58th minute a shot by Duff just goes wide of the net. In the 64th minute a shot by Duff is again saved by Gomes. This shot was a very good chance for Duff. In the 77th minute a pass from Zoltan Gera leads to another shot by Damien Duff that goes wide of the net. The last real chance for Fulham was in the 85th minute with a BobbyZamora run and a shot that goes very wide of the net.

As the match winds down the game ends 0 - 0 with a replay at home to Tottenham. This game reminded me some of the Boxing Day match. However, Tottenham I thought played at a much higher level tonight. To be honest both teams had there chances. Tottenham had 9 corners in the match to Fulham having only 2. Tottenham just couldn't break though the Fulham defense.

This was a disappointing result for Fulham. They have so many tough matches this month. Now, they will have a replay in the quarterfinal of the FA Cup. I think both teams played well. Like I mentioned prior I was impressed by the play for Tottenham Hotspur. I can see why they are in the running for a Champions League spot.

Fulham are definitely a tough team to beat at home. The question is can Fulham win at White Hart Lane? We will find out later this month.

With all of the excitement yesterday of the potential of Julius Peppers or Anquan Boldin being signed with the New England Patriots their number 1 priority did sign. Vince Wilfork according to Adam Schefter signed a 5 year 40 milion dollar deal. The Pats also re-signed Tully Banta Cain and Stephen Neal.

The Pats needed to sign their own players first in my opinion. To me this is a good start in the right direction. They still need to sign Leigh Bodden and Kevin Faulk.

As I have stated prior Julius Peppers whether the Pats were really in it did not make sense to me. Vince Wilfork makes sense to me. Anquan Boldin would have been a good trade but Baltimore made the deal instead. I still think they can go after someone like Derrick Mason to help at wide receiver.

Yesterday was the first day of free agency. There is still a long way to go in the off season. I know it is tough for Pats fans but we need to be patient. We need to see how there roster shapes up before passing judgement for next season. I think judgement can be made after the draft.

Friday, March 5, 2010

The match tomorrow is the FA Cup Quarterfinals. Fulham host Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage. The match takes place at 5:20 PM UK Time and 12:20 PM EST. In the United States the game will be shown on taped delay on Fox Soccer Channel at 5PM EST. If Fulham can win this match they will go on to Wembley for the Semifinals. For me the season has already been a success. A victory tomorrow would just take the season to the "next level." Below are my 5 keys to victory for Fulham against Tottenham.

1. It is imperative that Fulham score the first goal. This is usually a key for every match, but I think tomorrow it is even more important. Last year Fulham got blown out at Craven Cottage against Manchester United 4 - 0. This was also the quarterfinals for the tournament. Fulham need to show Tottenham very early that they are "in it to win it." I almost felt last year the team was just happy to be there. An early goal will set the tone for the match and will put all of the momentum with Fulham. I would love to see an early strike by Bobby Zamora.

2. Nicky Shorey just needs to continue to play solid defense.Paul Konchesky is almost ready to return. He played a great deal in the last reserves match. I think it is important that Shorey plays. I think he has proved his worth on defense. With the likes of Defoe, Crouch, and Pavlyuchenko at Tottenham's disposal Shorey will be tested. I think there will be a time soon for Konchesky to return to the lineup. I am hoping for continuity and fitness reasons that Shorey plays.

3. Roman Pavlyuchenko and the rest of the strikers need to be contained. Whether he starts or comes off of the bench he has been hot lately scoring goals. In all competitions this year he has scored 10 goals. However, his form lately has been very good. Fulham's defense against Tottenham at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day did a great job of neutralizing Crouch and Keane. They will be asked tomorrow to step it up once again and contain Pavlyuchecko and his teammates.

4. Fulham need to shoot often at Heurehlo Gomes. In the Boxing Day match he was fantastic. If it wasn't for Gomes, Fulham could have won the match. Goalkeepers can be a position that can be affected by confidence. By shooting often at Gomes the idea is to hopefully rattle him early. This can also work against Fulham as it might build his confidence. I think it is worth it though as he has had confidence issues before. If you put him under constant pressure I think we could breakthrough. Bobby Zamora should shoot often whenever he has an opening.

5. Fulham need to stop Luka Modric. Number 5 is actually I think the key to the entire match. I have to give credit to Dan at Hammyend.com for his great article on "How to beat Spurs" . He beat me to the punch on the #1 key to the match. Dan at Hammyend.com stated "What Fulham can’t afford is to allow Modric and company to dictate play forcing Danny Murphy backwards." The Croatian born player has the ability to dictate the pace of the game and get the ball up to the strikers. Please check out Dan's article. It is a great breakdown to the game. There are comments to his article. You will see that the Tottenham fans are in agreement of Dan's breakdown and key to beating Spurs.

Tomorrow is a wonderful chance for Fulham to make this season even a bigger success. Let's hope Fulham fans leave Craven Cottage tomorrow very happy.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

I was reading the article on Fulhamfc.com entitled " Reserves 2 - 0 Stoke" and the first name that jumped out at me was Christopher Buchtmann. He was making his debut with the reserves. Not only did he score a goal in the match, but based on the article he was very involved in the match for the Fulham Reserves.

According to the article, Reserves 2 - 0 Stoke, stated "Another making his first start for the Whites was midfielder Christopher Buchtmann, a January transfer window signing from Liverpool, and a player that impressed from the off driving forward with conviction and endeavour with display that bodes well for the future." The article has other information on the game and Buchtmann's play. If you are interested please check out the article.

Buchtmann as mentioned prior came to Fulham at the very end of the January transfer window from Liverpool for 100,000 pounds. According to his bio on Fulhamfc.com, he is on an 18th month contract that will have him with Fulham until June 2011. The German born player will be turning 18 at the end of April. Also, according to his bio he was named among UEFA's top 10 stars of the future in May 2009.

I remember reading about Buchtmann when the deal happened. His signing seemed to "flyunder the radar ". Thisprobably happened because the Chris Smalling transfer to Manchester United was around the same time. I was not happy that Fulham were accepting a transfer with such a promising player like Chris Smalling at first. It looks like to me Fulham might have been able to pick up a player that has the potential to be a "hot prospect " as well.

If you look at this and analyze it, Fulham accepted a "rumored" 8 million pound transfer fee for Chris Smalling who is 20 years old. They brought in Christopher Buchtmann from Liverpool on a transfer fee of 100,000 pounds who is 18. To me this sounds like a good trade off for Fulham if the young German born player turns out to succeed eventually on the first team.

The big question to me is how did Fulham get this player for such a small fee? According to an article on goal.com entitled " German Starlet Christopher Buchtmann Leaves Liverpool for Fulham"it hints to what the reasons might be. The article by Mick Maguire states, "Buchtmann was widely regarded as the most promising prospect in Liverpool's youth ranks, and it is being speculated that attitude problems may be the reason for the sudden exit."

Whatever the reason Buchtmann was able to come to Fulham doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is how he progresses at Fulham. This is one player I will be following and checking his status with the club. It might only be one reserve game, but it sound like to me ChristopherBuchtmann is player to watch in the future for Fulham.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

I know many fans of the New England Patriots love to discuss the NFL draft and who are the New England Patriots going to take. I am telling you right now it is a "useless discussion" regarding the Pats. I am not going to fall for this talk again. Ever since Bill Belichick has been in charge trying to figure out who the Pats are going to draft is impossible. I heard a discussion on 98.5 the Sports Hub with Gary Tanguay and Scott Zolak regarding the draft. They had plenty of callers wanting to discuss who the Pats should draft. I couldn't take it anymore so I called in.

I told Gary Tanguay that this topic is useless because you can't predict what they are going to do. Does anyone really know what the New England Patriots are going to do in the draft? I am sick and tired of getting excited about the draft and being completely disappointed after the draft.

Let's just start with last year's draft. The Patriots had a pick in the early 20's of the draft. When there pick came what did the New England Patriots do? They traded down the pick twice to the second round. Now there was this huge need in linebacker. Did the Patriots draft a linebacker at the beginning of the second round? They ended up taking Patrick Chung a safety. I have to be honest with you I had never heard of him. I think he is going to be a good player, but at that point I was not aware of him. Linebackers like Clay Matthews Jr. and Rey Maualuga were in this draft. Why did they go after a safety with there first pick? Then they had 3 other picks in the second round. Did they draft a linebacker in the second round? The answer to this question is "no". They did end up drafting Tyrone McKenzie in the third round.

How about the 2008 draft? I was hearing all these names prior to the draft who the Pats were going to pick. They had I believe the 8th pick. Usually the media gets the pick wrong prior. This is the only case when someone in the media got the pick right. A day or 2 before the draft Michael Holley mentioned he had heard that the Pats were leaning towards Jerrod Mayo. The Pats ended up moving a few spots back in the draft, but ended up taking Mayo. Someone actually got it right.

The 2006 draft, the New England Patriots still had a huge need for linebacker. They ended up taking Laurence Maroney in the first round. Again I didn't see this coming. They also ended up moving positions in the second round to get Chad Jackson.

In 2005 the New England Patriots ended up taking a lineman in the first round that most experts had going in the later rounds. The New England Patriots ended up taking Logan Mankins from Utah. Again another player that no one in the media saw coming.

In 2004 the New England Patriots had 2 picks in the first round. They moved up to get Vince Wilfork which again was not on many experts' radar. They also drafted later in that round Ben Watson. At that time it didn't seem the Patriots needed a tight end. I didn't hear anyone predicting Ben Watson.

How about the 2001 draft and the first pick of the New England Patriots. The media were speculating that The New England Patriots were going to take David Terrell. They took Richard Seymour with that pick. If I remember correctly Ron Borges blasted the Patriots for that pick. How did that work out for the Pats? I think Richard Seymour was a great player for the Pats.

In many of these cases I think the Pats made good decisions on the picks. The big picture is, there isn't a fan or an expert who can predict what the New England Patriots are going to do in the draft. They might trade down or trade up. They could take a player that I think is not a need for the team. It is useless to discuss it. I would rather talk about free agents coming and going from Foxboro. After the draft is the time to discuss the Patriots draft picks. In the meantime, talking about the NFL draft in regards to the New England Patriots is completely "useless."

In a prior post I believe I mentioned that the New England Patriots should cut Adalius Thomas. I have changed my mind on Thomas being cut from the Pats. With free agency coming up why should the New England Patriots do him any favors? Bart Scott in the New York Post article "Bart Scott: Thomas' wants to join Jets if cut" mentions a desire of Thomas wanting to join the Jets if he is cut. The Patriots should not cut Adalius Thomas now.

Do I believe they should keep him on the team for next season? I absolutely do not want him on the New England Patriots next season. Michael Felger mentioned on Comcast Sports NetLate Night last night that he thinks the New England Patriots should not cut him now. I could not agree with him more. He should have to report to the OTA's and offseason workouts. Why should the Patriots give this guy what he wants. They have paid him very well and he has been a huge "bust". He could be the biggest bust in the history of the club.

I would cut him right before the first game of the year. There is no salary cap so why not keep him on the books until the season begins. This guy is the polar opposite from the "Patriot Way" Super Bowl teams. He shouldn't be on this team, but at this point he should stay.

I think it is worth it to the New England Patriots to keep him away from the Jets. Maybe with the Jets he would start to show the type of player he was with the Ravens. I would not give him the satisfaction to resurrect his career. He mailed it in from the first game of last year. I am not a vindictive person, but in this case I think he helped divide the locker room last season. Let him go through the off season with the New England Patriots.

Next season the New England Patriots need to bring in players that want to be there. They need to get there locker room back. In the meantime, Adalius Thomas should not be cut until the season begins.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The injuries started to pile up at the beginning of the New Year for Fulham. I think the team has been able to survive these injuries. The big question is what happens to the lineup when these injured players return? Don't get me wrong having these players back will be a huge help. I am just curious what Roy Hogdson will do.

1. Paul Konchesky could be the closest Fulham player to return from injury. As I mentioned prior having these players back is wonderful. In Konchesky's place Nicky Shorey has done a great job at defender. Do you just put Konchesky back in at his position when he is ready? Maybe, you have Konchesky only play the Europa League matches and have Shorey continue to play the League games and the F A Cup games. Again, this is a good problem to have when Paul returns. Shouldn't an injured player just get his job back when he comes back from injury? I am curious to see how Roy handles this.

2. Clint Dempsey it has been reported might have already started light training back with theteam late last week.Clint had a knee injury and you have to be careful how quickly he comes back. I have to say Simon Davies has done a great job in midfield. I forgot how much I enjoyed watching him play when he is back to normal. Again I am assuming Dempsey will be back in the lineup when he is ready. But, do you ease him into play or does he just go back into the starting lineup?

3. John Pantsil seems the farthest away from injury. He might not be ready to return this season. Let's go with the assumption he is good to go say at the very end of the season. I would put him in as soon as possible. John Pantsil has showed me this year his value. I still think, him getting hurt in the Chelsea game changed the complexion of that match. He has been very strong on defense and has been able to push the ball up front. I do think Chris Baird though has done a nice job. He deserves more credit than he gets.

Before I end this post I have a different question I have been thinking about. What is going onwithChris Smalling? There have been opportunities for him to play and we haven't seen him lately. I believe he cannot play in the Europa League. I understand that but why isn't he playing in the league games? This is just something I have been thinking about.

To close it should be interesting to see how Roy Hogdson handles the return of injured players. It certainly can't hurt to have more healthy options.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Since it is the off season I am going to limit this entry to "5 things I think" this week regarding the New England Patriots. With free agency beginning soon it should be an interesting week.

1. I think the New England Patriots should bring back Mike Vrabel. I think this is a "no brainer" for the Pats. Even at his age what he gives you in leadership and knowledge is worth it alone. He is a free agent and the Pats should bring him home.2. I think the New England Patriots should cut Adalius Thomas. He has shown to me that he is just not a good fit with the Pats. It could be he just doesn't see eye to eye with the head coach. It is time for both sides to say goodbye.3. I think it is a good thing the New England Patriots brought back David Patten. The Pats have nothing to lose here. He might be old for a wide receiver, but at least he knows the offense. He is also a veteran presence of the "Patriots Way".4. I think if the New England Patriots sign Julius Peppers he could be the next Adalius Thomas. He has already been questioned by a teammate on his desire to play football. You need players who love the game. He could be another waste of money.5. I think overtime should be each team has one possession. With talk coming out that the Competition Committee are considering changing overtime for the playoffs I thought I would put in my "2 cents". If they do change overtime please make it for the regular season as well.

These are my 5 things I think about the New England Patriots this week as of March 1st.

The past week for Fulham Football Club was historic . Fulham were able to tie ShakhtarDonetsk 1 - 1 in the Ukraine last Thursday. This result moved them on in the Europa League which they will next face Juventus. Fulham also picked up a valuable point in 0 - 0 draw yesterday at Sunderland. I guess these results could give me some thoughts this week.

1. I think the Shakhtar Donetsk result on Thursday is remarkable. Watching the first game at Craven Cottage I knew that Shakhtar was incredibly talented team. I didn't feel very confident going into Thursday's match. Roy Hogdson had Fulham very prepared for the match and it showed. The defense of Fulham was only broken once. For the most part the defense was tremendous. Fulham also took advantage of an opening when it showed itself. All it took was a free kick by Damien Duff and a header by Brede Hangeland to change the game. All Fulham fans should be proud of that game.

2.Was there another "lost in transaltion moment" with the Shakhtar manager after the Match on Thursday? After my entry a week ago I was curious how Mircea Lucescu would react in his press conference after the match. The transcript from his press conference has been removed from there official site Shakhtar.com. It has been replaced by a portion of this transcript which you can happily read from the press office of ShakhtarDonetsk. How do I know this? I went to the site shortly after the match and read the transcript. I went back to the site yesterday and it is gone with this replacement. The entry has the manager being very complimentary to Fulham. All I have to say is the original transcript had other comments regarding the match. I could also tell that the translation to English was difficult to follow. What I have learned from this experience that translating into English is not easy. What I have also learned though that it can also be an excuse for comments said. In the case of the Shakhtar Manager I believe there is a little of both from his last press conference on Thursday regarding the match against the Cottagers. Ask yourself why is the original transcript from the press conference gone from Shakhtar.com?

3. I think Stephen Kelly played a very good match against Shakhtar Donetsk.I had mentioned in a prior entry that I thought Kelly did well in the last Europa League match. I had been critical of him so I want to give him the credit he deserves. I also think you can't blame him for the goal in the game. That was just a great move from Santos of Shakhtar. The whole defense in general was great, but I did notice Kelly.

4. I think getting any points on the road is important. I am a little disappointed by the draw at Sunderland yesterday. At some point you have to win games on the road. The really good teams all win on the road. To get to that level Fulham need to win away from Craven Cottage. However, it is important to get any points you can. All the points add up at the end of the year.

5. I think my expectations are too high for Fulham. I should have been more happy with the point. It is a long season and Fulham are going to have times when they are struggling. I guess I just see the month ahead with the difficult opponents and I am concerned. I want them to be in the Europa League next year. I think I might be shooting too high for this season.

6. I think the team has to be exhausted after the month of February. With all of the matches they played last month you would think they would struggle at Sunderland. They might have been tired but they still kept there shape and played well. What is amazing is that Hogdson used most of the same lineup at Sunderland. The only difference in the starting lineup was Nicky Shorey playing for Stephen Kelly. This is another reason why a point in Sunderland is well deserved.

7. I think Zoltan Gera probably has some sore muscles after yesterday's match. He was knocked around I believe 3 separate times during the match. What was great about his effort is he continued to play. I have to give him big credit. I am starting to like him right behind Bobby Zamora.

8. I think March could be an extremely tough month for Fulham. The month begins on Saturday March 6th against Tottenham at Craven Cottage in the F A Cup. Then, on Thursday March 11th Fulham play at Juventus in the Europa League. Three days later they play at Old Trafford On Sunday March 14th against Manchester United. Four days after that game they play Juventus again on Thursday March 18th at Craven Cottage. Three days later on Sunday March 21st they play Manchester City at Craven Cottage. The month ends on Saturday March 27 away to Hull. Is there any game in here that you pencil down as a victory? Maybe the Hull game but it is away. This month could be tough on the emotions.

9. I think the F A Cup match against Tottenham is a "statement game". This goes back to wanting Fulham to be thought of as a " very good club" each year. They need to win these types of games. Perception is a difficult thing to change. I would like Fulham not be thought of as that "nice small club". If Fulham can go to Wembley they could continue to gain some respect.

10. I think the podcast I heard regarding Fulham was very interesting. Thank you to Dan from hammyend.com for making me aware of this podcast. Timmyg at Fulham.offiside.com did a podcast with Don Hymel and Dan from Hammyend.com. This podcast kept me interested the full time which I think was slightly more than 30 minutes. To me they could have gone on for an hour. They discussed the Shakhtar match, the F A Cup and the complete month of February for Fulham. This is not "homer" radio. They critiqued the performances of the team and its players. I am not sure how often Timmyg does the podcast, but for me the three of them should do it more often. If you are a fan of Fulham you really should check out the podcast.

These are my 10 things I think about Fulham Football Club this week as of March 1st. Let's see what I come up with next week.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Going into this match Fulham had only 1 win on the road this season. That was in the first game of the season against Portsmouth. They left the Stadium of Light with only one point today. Fulhamand Sunderlandplayed to a scoreless draw.

There was good news for Fulham fans as the game began. Bobby Zamora was in the starting lineup. He picked up an Achilles injury during the last Europa League match. The half was more controlled by Sunderland. However, both sides had a few decent chances to score.

Sunderlandstarted the first 5 minutes of the match with good pressure in the Fulham half. It was thoughFulham who had the first good chance. In the 6th minute Gera takes a good shot that goes wide of the net. In the 26th minute Simon Davies passes a nice ball to Bobby Zamora who heads it wide.

The Sunderland chances started with a Jones strike that went high over the net. In the 39th minute a free kick for Sunderlandwas taken by Darren Bent. His shot though was saved by Schwarzer. Kenwyne Jones actually had 2 more decent chances as Sunderlandcontinued the pressure late into the half. The last chance for Fulham in the 44th minute was a free kick by Nicky Shorey. It was easily handled.

The half was physical with ZoltanGera getting knocked around twice. Fulham and Sunderland ended the half 0 -0. To win the game we would have to see more out of Roy Hogdson's team in the second half.

The second half started with more pressure from Fulham. Early on a SimonDavies corner kick goes harmlessly in the box as there is a foul by Hangeland. Sunderlandhad the next 2 chances. In the 56th minute a nice shot by Alan Hutton is saved bySchwarzer. This was followed up in the 58th minute by a shot by Darren Bent which went wide of the net.

Shortly before that last shot Fulham's first change came when Danny Murphy was replaced by Jonathan Greening. In the 69th minute a beautiful left footed shot by Damien Duff just went wide. This was probably Fulham's best chance of the match. In the 73rd minute Simon Davies made a nice run but his shot was easily saved by Craig Gordon.

The end of the game saw a few more chances for Sunderland. In the 74th minute off of a long ball, a shot by Zendenhits side of the net. In the 80th minute a cross by Zenden goes right to Alan Hutton but again hits the side of the net. One of the best chances for Sunderlandcame in the 86th minute. Frazier Campbell's right footed shot in the center of the box goes high over the net. The final chance for Sunderland came in the 88th minute with a nice pass fromBenjani that just missed Darren Bent.

The only other change for Fulham came late in the game with David Elm coming in for BobbyZamora. Unfortunately for Fulham, Elm was not effective in Zamora's place. Bobby played decent but did not get any real good chances today.

Both teams deserved a well earned point. I thought it was a pretty even game with a slight edge to Sunderland. The game ended as it started 0 -0 from the Stadium of Light. Now it is time to move on to the F A Cup next week against Tottenham at Craven Cottage.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

You need talented players to build your team. Unless you have someone to guide that talent it will go nowhere. Roy Hogdson took over a squad that 2 years ago that was fighting relegation to the Championship. To the present he has taken a team that is in the final 16 of the Europa League. To me this is an incredible accomplishment and I don't think he is getting the credit he deserves.

The big question is how did Hogdson accomplish this feat in 2 years? To me it all starts on defense. In American football if you have a strong defense you pretty much can be competitive in all of your games. I have a feeling that football in the EPL you can have a similar result with a strong defense. Hogdson brought in players like Brede Hangeland, John Pantsil, and Mark Schwarzer. Hangeland came in during the January transfer window of his first season. John Pantsil and Mark Schwarzer came in the following summer. Fulham now had 2 really good defenders and a top notch goalkeeper in Schwarzer. Defense is the first quality he brought to Fulham.

Hogdson also brought a work ethic and discipline that is shown every week on the pitch. His team is always in position and does not tend to beat themselves. The team keeps it shape which is difficult for their opponents to break down. This is a quality I admire. You are going to have to beat Fulham. They will not do it for you.

Roy Hogdson has also been able to get everything he can out of the talent he has at his disposal. Fulham do not have an unlimited budget like a team in the big four. He needs to find good players on a limited budget. For example, he got Mark Schwarzer for next to nothing. He also bought players like Bobby Zamora and Brede Hangeland. These players again were accomplished players but they weren't superstars at the time. Instead of acquiring talent Roy was building a team that is disciplined, plays a great defense and has an incredible work ethic.

As a fan all you can ask is that your club is put in position every week to win. Roy Hogdson has done this since January 2008. It blows me away how the media looks at Fulham. I listen to the commentary and I read the articles in the media. Just like the New England Patriots the media does not get it. They just see the names on the back of the jerseys. Someone needs to put those names in position to win and Hogdson does this week after week. It is a combination of the right players and the right manager.

How else would you explain how Fulham were able to beat Shakhtar Donetsk at Craven Cottage and then tie this team in the Ukraine. Shakhtar are more talented and play "beautifulfootball". Where did that get them in the end? Fulham moved on and Shakhtar are out. Shakhtar could not break down Fulham no matter how hard they tried. All Fulham did was take advantage of an opening when it was there. The free kick from Duff and headed in by Hangeland in the last game just shows me what Fulham is all about. They again won on defense, discipline and work ethic.

The importance of Roy Hogdson to Fulham to me is huge. Hogdson picks the players to play, puts them in position to succeed and just watches them play hard. If I were Chairman, Roy Hogdson would be manager for as long as he wants. I think the future is bright for Fulham Football Club. In my humble opinion Roy Hogdson has a great deal to do with it.

Friday, February 26, 2010

There is no rest for Fulham this weekend. They will be travelling to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Sunday. The kickoff for the match is 3PM UK time and 10AM EST. The game will actually be shown on tape delay on Fox Soccer Soccer Channel in the United States at noon EST. Sunderland currently sit 14th in the League with 26 points. Fulham are currently 9th with 37 points.

Roy Hogdson and Fulham need to figure out a way to get another away win. Sunderland will again be desperate for a win as they want to get as far away from the relegation zone as possible. The question is what kind of shape and lineup will be on display for Fulham on Sunday? Below I will have my "5 keys to victory for Fulham."

1. Bobby Zamora is doubtful for the match so who will step up to take his place at striker. Zamora picked up an Achilles injury in the Europa League match. Who will Roy use at striker. I am hoping David Elm will get a shot at striker. To me he deserves another chance to show his ability. He seems to have a good touch up front. This striker position will be key on Sunday.

2. The return of Nicky Shorey is important for the defense. As I stated prior I think Nicky Shorey has been impressive on defense. Stephen Kelly was very good in the last match. This is nothing against Kelly. Shorey just gives Fulham a defender who can push the ball up better and is more natural at the position.

3. Fulham desperately need to score the first goal.Fulham have struggled so much on the road I think they need to play from ahead the majority of the match. If they can get off to a fast start they can dictate the game to Sunderland. Again, they are playing a desperate side right now. Zoltan Gera has been very good lately. I would not be surprised to see him score a goal early in the match.

4. Hogdson should use some fresh legs in this match. After a grueling match in the Ukraine a key will be how Hogdson uses his lineup. I already stated I think David Elm and Nicky Shorey should start. At some point during the match it might be good to use Jonathan Greening and Bjorn Helge Riise in midfield. Players like Danny Murphy and Dickson Etuhu might need some rest. They have worked very hard lately. I also would not be against Stephen Kelly coming in to spell someone on defense.

5. It is important to push the ball up to the strikers.Fulham always seem to be at their best when the defenders are pushing the ball up the pitch. Fulham need to dictate the pace of the match. Nicky Shorey has been great so far in moving the ball up. Fulham need to play like they are at Craven Cottage which is more aggressive.

Fulham are coming off of a grueling schedule lately. Sunderland on the road is game they need to win. If they want to move higher up the table Fulham need to win these games on the road. Let's hope our good form continues on Sunday.